So near yet so far for gutted Brit O'Brien

For Katie O'Brien the manner and timing of her defeat yesterday could not have been worse. The LTA's chief executive Roger Draper has been telling the All- England Club that fewer British players should be getting wild cards and O'Brien appeared to reinforce his argument by losing after being within two points of winning in straight sets.

O'Brien, though, was in no mood for making excuses, perhaps taking a leaf out of Elena Baltacha's book who recently remarked that British players should not blame other people for their failures and take on more responsibility themselves.

"I'm pretty gutted at the opportunities that have been lost," she said. "I was rattling her at the beginning. I was a little anxious at the start of the third set and if I had stayed a little calmer it might have been a different story. I hate losing and the stakes are so high that it's very disappointing, and I think it will take me many days to get over this. But I must, and must try to take the positives."

As for Draper's views she said: "I can see his point. As a Briton I count myself very fortunate to play in the main draw, although now it's more competitive and you have to fight very hard to get wild cards (through a play-off tournament)."

For two sets O'Brien often played her best tennis but Tathiana Garbin recovered to win 2-6, 7-6, 6-2, her first success in seven attempts at Wimbledon. The world No68 from Italy had been 3-1 down in the second set and then trailed 6-5 and 30-15 yet still escaped, celebrating by flinging her head back noisily and staring at the rolling clouds as if her bad feelings were all purged about the maddening English weather and the crazy English grass.

O'Brien, whose father Phil played football for Watford in the 1970s, combined a stocky mobility with some encouragingly aggressive ground strokes and a comfortably facility with slice. But although she was clearly happier on grass than the Italian, she was also more than 160 places lower in the rankings, and there was a similar gap in ability. Once Garbin had her nose in front she was the better player. A penchant for inside-out forehands changed from an indulgence to a growing threat the longer the match progressed. It cost O'Brien her first Wimbledon win.

The Bexley-born Naomi Cavaday also let slip a good chance, and missed tasting success on her first appearance in any grand slam. Hers, though, was the most promising performance among the British women. The 17-year-old who gave up school last year to compete full-time, could have taken a set from Japan's Ai Sugiyama, the 18th seed and a former Wimbledon doubles champion. Some will say that she should have done. If so, it would be a compliment to someone whose experience is so limited.

Cavaday, booming heavy ground strokes from both sides and bustling purposefully between points, reached 4-1 in the second set and had two points for 5-1 before losing 6-4, 7-5. On each occasion Sugiyama came up with what was needed - a backhand aimed for the fast route, down the line, and a first serve that forced a returning error. After that the hour-glass was turned the other way up and Sugiyama needed little time to take six of the next seven games.

It did not help Cavaday's case that she had been twice subjected to delays. Her Wimbledon debut was held up on Monday for an hour and a half by rain and its restart by more than twice that long by a protracted men's singles, before resuming with Sugiyama leading 5-4 . Such delays and uncertainty are energy-sapping for any newcomer.

The British No1 Anne Keothavong seemed to find it even more stressful, taking so long to get into her stride against Karolina Sprem, that she allowed the 64th-ranked Croatian to build an early rhythm and race away to a 6-0, 6-2 win.

Richard Bloomfield did break Britain's duck, scoring his first win at Wimbledon at the third attempt. The 23-year-old from Norwich, who is ranked down at No259, won 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 against Carlos Berlocq, an Argentinian currently ranked No89 but making a first appearance at Wimbledon despite turning professional in 2001.

Bloomfield, who next plays Germany's Tommy Haas, a former world No2, said: "It probably was one of my best wins. I played my serve-volley game and, no disrespect to him being a clay-court player, I feel I have more of a chance on this surface. I am not the sort of person to show it but inside I am really happy. Talking to people I don't know, I am pretty low key - not shy, but just quiet and getting on with it. I really don't like the attention. But whatever comes along I will handle."

But, as so often early in the first week, the day was chastening. They could do worse than to adopt the attitude of Baltacha, who said last week: "If you are trying to be elite standard player and you are going to get arse kicked, that's exciting because you know the standard. But if you can't take it, don't play."